The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) with its focus on in-situ conservation of biological diversity has laid stress on establishment of Protected Areas (PAs). India, a party to the internationally binding convention, in order to meet the objectives of CBD had promulgated the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. In order to ensure conservation and development of areas with significant biodiversity, the Act provides for their declaration as ‘biodiversity heritage sites’. Given the relevant legal provisions, this brief looks at the status of biodiversity heritage sites in India. This analysis reveals that across 29 states, 12 areas have been given the ‘legal conservation tag’.